Standpipe for underwater launching system



Jn. 17,` 1967 En, BARAKAusKAs 3,298,278

STANDPIPE FOR UNDERWATER LAUNCHING SYSTEM Filed April l5, 1965 i j generator discharges into the second cylinder.

The present invention relates to an improved standpipe, and more particularly to an improved standpipe for use in an underwater launching device.

During submerged launching of a missile using the tube launch technique, wherein a missile isv launched from a vertically oriented tube mounted within a submergible ship hull, it is necessary to provide means for ejecting the missile lfrom the launch tube and for propelling the missile t-o the surface whereupon the motors are ignited to propel the missile to a target.

One system of ejecting a missile from a launching tube consists of-using gas and water to propel the missile from the launching` tube to the surface. In this system, a

` standpipe is used to mix the gas and the water.

One heretofore used standpipe, which is shown in.U.S. Patent 3,182,554, and which issued to the present inventor on May 11, 1965, has a closed end pipe .concentrically mounted within a water tank, and a gas generator is connectedatfthe top of the water tank. The closed end pipe has a plurality of apertures near its closed end to permit the'flow of gas from the generator into the inner diameter of the closed end pipe, and a second plurality `of apertures are provided a further distance from the closed `end for discharging water from the water tank into the closed end pipe. A first opened end cylinder `is attached to the closed end pipe and a second opened end cylinder, smaller in diameter than the rst opened end cylinder, is attached to the top of the water tank. The opened end of the second cylinder extends into the opened end of the first cylinder and a nozzle on the gas The combination of the rst and second cylinders provides a reverse-bent path for gas flowing from the nozzle into the water tank. In operation, a portion of the gas generator exhaust is deected by the closed end of the pipe and is diverted through the baffle formed by the first and second cylinders. A portion of the gases pass through the upper holes and a large pressure drop is generated within the inner pipe. Water is then forced through the lower group of apertures by the pressure differential between the outside and the inside of the inner pipe.

`While the above-described standpipe provides the `necessary force for ejecting a missile from a launching tube, there is a major drawback to its use. The top `of the inner pipe is subjected to hot exhaust gases and such severe erosion takes place that the standpipe has i `to be replaced after several launches.

Thepresent invention eliminates the undesirable feature :of having hot exhaust gases impinge on the end of the inner pipe by providing a different method of generating a pres-sure differential. The end of the inner pipe l `is open and a second nozzle is provided downstream on the centerlineof the gas stream from a first nozzle.

l 3,298,278 Ice Patented Jan. 17, 1967 injected into the low pressure area below the second nozzle.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved standpipe for use in launching a missile.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for establishing a pressure differential in a standpipe.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein: j Y

FIGURE 1-is adiagrammatic view showing a prior art standpipe design, and

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view showing ferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGURE l of the drawing, there is shown a standpipe design of the prior art which is generally designated by the numeral 11. A center pipe 12 is concentrically mounted within a water tank 13, and pipe 12 is provided with a first plurality of holes 14 near its closed `end 15 and a second plurality of holes 16 are provided a further distance from closed end 15. A pair of cylinders 17 and 18 are provided near the top of water tank 13 to serve as baffles for diverting a portion of a gas stream from a generator 19 to the area between the inner pipe 12 and the sides of the water tank 13. The portion of the gas stream that is not diverted enters holes 14 and flows within pipe 12 thereby causing a pressure differential between the inside and outside of that portion of inner pipe 12 that is within water tank 13. Water within tank 13 is forced through the holes 16 into pipe 12 and the mixture of gas and water is used to launch a missile. It can be readily seen that the hot exhaust gases from generator 19 impinge on end 15 of pipe 12 causing erosion thereby requiring replacement of pipe 12 after several launches.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, which shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pipe 21 is connected to a water tank 22 with a portion of pipe 21 extending within tank 22. A plurality of water injection holes 23 are placed radially through pipe 21 near the bottom of tank 22. A gas generator 24 is attached to the top of water tank 22 and an exhaust nozzle 25 discharges within tank 22. A pair of cylinders 26 and 27 are provided to serve as baffles for diverting a portion of the flow of the gas stream from nozzle 2S.

A second nozzle 28 is placed on the center line of the gas stream that is exhausting from the rst nozzle 25. The second nozzle 28 must be placed downstream far enough (approximately 8 diameters) so that the second nozzle does not interfere with the expansion wave pattern from the first nozzle 25. Also the inner diameter of cylinder 27 must be large enough so that the shock waves causing the stagnation pressure loss can not be swallowed through the second nozzle 28.

In operation, gases from generator 24 flow through cylinder 27, whereupon a portion of the gases pass between the walls of cylinders 26 and 27, and the remainder of the gases flow through nozzle 28. The pressure beyond the second nozzle 28, in the entry pipe 21, is very low, and the pressure immediately in front of nozzle 28 is high. It can be seen by reference to FIGURE 2 of the drawing that gas for pressuring the water tank 22 is taken olf at a high pressure point and that the water injection holes 23 are located at a low pressure area below the second nozzle. Thus, in operation, there is a rapid discharge of water from tank 22 into pipe 21.

It can thus be seen that the present invention provides an improved standpipe for use in missile launching by a pre- 3 eliminating from the prior art design the impingement of hot exhaust gases on a closed end of a discharge pipe. The improvement is accomplished by changing the principle used to generate the pressure differential for water injection.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood, that within the scope yof the appended claim, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

A standpipe device for a missile launching system comprising:

a tank for holding a quantity of water,

a discharge pipe connected to the bottom of said tank and having a portion thereof extending into said tank, said portion of said discharge pipe having a plurality of water injection holes therein located near the bottom of said tank,

a gas generator having an exhaust nozzle extending into the top of said tank for applying gas to said tank,

a discharge nozzle attached to theend of said portion of said discharge pipe extending into saidtank, said discharge nozzle being displaced from said exhaust nozzle a distance equal to about eight times the inner diameter of said discharge nozzle, and

baille means for diverting a portion of said gas thereby applying pressure to said water while permitting a portion of said gas to pass directly through said discharge nozzle whereby a pressure diterential is created between the inside of said discharge pipe and the inside of said tank for rapidly expelling water from said water tank through said water injection holes into said discharge pipe, said bale means including first and second cylinders, said first cylinder having one end vattached to and closed by the top of said tank with said exhaust nozzle extend-l ing into said rst cylinder and said second cylinder being concentrically mounted around said rst cylinder and being opened at the top and partially closed at the bottom and having an aperture communicating with said discharge nozzle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 926,155 6/1909 Walls. 2,575,574 11/1951 wifhrow et a1. 2,603,232 7/1952 Kearnmerer.

SAMUEL FEINBERG, Primary Examiner. 

